http://www.boston.com/dailynews/141/nation/Grid_officials_others_studying:.shtml

Grid officials, others studying planned blackouts

By Jennifer Coleman, Associated Press, 5/21/2001 06:50

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Californians could soon be waking to electricity blackout forecasts along with the traffic and weather.

The Independent System Operator, keeper of the state's power grid, was expected to release a report Monday detailing how such a plan would work.

''I actually think it's a thoughtful plan ... to give folks an opportunity to understand the likelihood of blackouts on a daily basis,'' said Assemblyman Fred Keeley, the Assembly's point man on energy.

He compared it to ''weather forecasting, to be able to look at the next three or four days, have a percentile about the likelihood of blackouts.''

Peter Navarro, a University of California, Irvine, economics professor, released a report last month with a consumer group that recommends the state set a price limit on what they'll pay for power. And if generators don't lower the price, the state should schedule blackouts to cut consumption, he said.

The report by Navarro and the Utility Consumers' Action Network says the state's current method of ''highly disruptive random rolling blackouts'' needs to be revamped.

UCAN suggests that the state be divided into blackout zones. Utilities could notify customers in the affected areas in advance that power would be cut at a specific time and for a certain duration.

Keeley acknowledged that scheduling blackouts could attract criminals to outage areas and possibly subject the state to legal liability for traffic accidents or other incidents if power is deliberately shut off.

''That is a genuine problem and genuine concern,'' Keeley said. ''I think we would have to work with local governments so they could have a sufficient advance notice to be able to foresee that and try to deploy their resources appropriately.''

Critics of the planned blackouts said power producers simply could sell their unused electricity to other states, or trim back production to keep supplies short.

Assemblyman Mike Briggs plans to introduce a bill this week that would have the Public Utilities Commission notify businesses and homeowners as much as one month ahead of time when they would have their power cut.

''We owe the people of this state some kind of schedule,'' Briggs said. ''If businesses and individuals knew what days their power could potentially be shut off or blacked out, they could plan for that blackout accordingly.''

He said the ability to plan for outages would especially benefit farmers, who need power to irrigate their crops.

Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, who convened a special subcommittee on blackouts, has also suggested the state consider scheduling daily blackouts to cut the state's power use and drive down prices. Democratic Assembly members plan to introduce their own version of a blackout plan.

Sen. Debra Bowen has said she envisions giving consumers three to five days notice that their power will be cut during a particular period, so businesses could opt to shut down or shift their operations to nonpeak hours such as nights and weekends.

And by treating blackouts as a first option rather than a last resort, the state could cut its peak power needs and drive down prices, Bowen said. California power consumers would in essence form ''a reverse cartel to stop the market manipulation and the price gouging,'' she said.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Answers

It would make more sense, but by the time the politicians haggle out a reasonable plan, summer will probably be over...

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/141/nation/California_will_forecast_bl ack:.shtml

California will forecast blackouts and warn the public

By Jennifer Coleman, Associated Press, 5/21/2001 16:44

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Californians will soon be waking up to the weather, the traffic and a blackout forecast.

The operator of the state's electricity grid said Monday it will start issuing forecasts 24 hours ahead of expected rolling blackouts.

The agency also promised to give 30 minutes' warning before it orders utilities to pull the plug on homes and businesses, a move that could prevent traffic accidents, stuck elevators and costly shutdowns at factories.

Up to now, the agency has refused to give more than a few minutes' warning, saying it did not want to alarm people when there was still a chance that a last-minute purchase of power could stave off blackouts. The utilities have also resisted giving warnings, saying they did not want to tip off burglars and other criminals.

''People are asking for additional notice, so we're doing our best to make that a reality,'' said Lorie O'Donley, a spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator.

Californians have been warned that rolling blackouts could be a regular feature this summer. The state's power system, crippled by a botched effort at deregulation, has been unable to produce or buy enough electricity to power air conditioners on hot days.

The rolling blackouts move from neighborhood to neighborhood in a sequence that is determined by the utilities and is difficult or impossible for the public to predict. The outages last 60 to 90 minutes and then skip to another neighborhood.

Because of the lack of notice, the six days of rolling blackouts to hit the state so far this year have led to pileups at intersections suddenly left without stoplights, people trapped in elevators, and losses caused by stopped production lines. People with home medical equipment like oxygen fret they that they will be cut off without warning.

The new plan by the ISO borrows from the language of weather forecasters: Beginning May 30, it will issue a ''power watch'' or ''power warning'' that will give notice the grid could be headed toward blackouts.

The ISO will issue 30-minute warning to the media and others before any blackouts actually begin. However, the ISO will not say what neighborhoods will be hit.

''Any time is better than none,'' said Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association. ''Obviously, we'd like more, but we're realistic about what they can do.''

Assemblyman Fred Keeley, the Legislature's point man on energy, acknowledged that scheduling blackouts could attract criminals and open the state to legal liability for accidents at blacked-out intersections.

''That is a genuine problem and genuine concern,'' Keeley said earlier. ''I think we would have to work with local governments so they could have a sufficient advance notice to be able to foresee that and try to deploy their resources appropriately.''

The ISO said it also is looking into high-tech ways it can get word of an impending blackout quickly to homeowners and businesses through mass e-mails, faxes, automated phone calls and pager messages.

The plan falls far short of what some consumer groups and legislators are demanding.

State Sen. Debra Bowen has said she envisions giving consumers three to five days' notice that their power will be cut during a particular period, so businesses could shut down or shift their operations to non-peak hours such as nights and weekends.

State Assemblyman Mike Briggs said he plans to introduce a bill that would have the Public Utilities Commission notify businesses and homeowners as much as one month ahead of time when they would have their power cut.

''We owe the people of this state some kind of schedule,'' Briggs said. ''If businesses and individuals knew what days their power could potentially be shut off or blacked out, they could plan for that blackout accordingly.''

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001